When Astaroth met Yoshimitsu
by ConquerorMarr
Summary: Chapter 4 UP!!! Hwang introduced!
1. The Stage is Set

When Astaroth Met Yoshimitsu

  
  


AN: Okay, I might build on this if anyone says they like it, Astaroth, Lizardman and Yoshimitsu are my favorite characters in case you couldn't guess

I don't own any of this, and if this story makes any money then I'm not the one getting it.

It was a hot day, I didn't like the heat. Especially not on a day like this. Moist air joined the heat to make me sweat drawing annoying little flies. Odd that I should sweat out here yet live in a place as fiery as Pangea Shrine, it must be the humidity then. Still, whatever caused it I sweated and the bugs came. Annoying little brainless flies that tried land on my flesh and bite me. I swatted most of them, the rest couldn't punch through my hide. 

The flies didn't just annoy me because they bit me, but because so many thought me as stupid as the flies. To them I am simply a brainless pawn, I charge when told and fight till told to stop. They give me the most laughable rewards, a chunk of meat, a compliment to my strength. They think it is enough, as though I were one of there dogs! I spit out their foul tasting cow corpses! I despise their condescending "compliments" which merely veil their hidden smirks of amusement at what they see as a stupid animal!

Despite this I still serve them. My real master ordered me to, and while I waste no love on him either, he has a force stronger than non-existent stupidity. Fear. Pain. Power. Those are the elements that keep me chained to Him. He ordered me to assist the priests, so I do. 

Someday, though. Someday I'll hear their last screams, their dying wails of agony. I'll have a laugh as they beg for mercy from that which they scorned. Oh, I'd memorized every detail of how their broken bodies would bend in agony, every sound of their pathetic whimpering. Alas, that day is not today.

I was entering the lands of humans. Humans were the true flies of the universe, more annoying and stupid than the little insects could ever hope to be. I'm not sure which is the stupidest kind of human. Across the ocean are mostly shorter, slanty eyed, tanned ones who seem to have a religion about finding peace with the universe or some stupid thing like. When you find peace you lose your fighting edge and your enemies get you. Stupid. Over here there were pale ones, mostly bigger, with a wider range of color. They worship a man named Jesus, by singing about his death and I think there's something about drinking his blood and eating his flesh. Christians, as they are called, say Jesus told them to be nice, but I haven't seen anything that says they listened. I'm not sure of any of this, but it's what I've been able to gather from my brief skirmishes with humans. Regardless of what kind of human they are, they are all weak little creatures and call me a monster and tell me to go to various places of torment.

A few months ago I killed a ship full of humans. I thought they knew about Soul Edge, but they were too stupid to be of use to me and just died with a look like a cow in their eyes. A waste, but fun.

I found a wooden fence of some kind in my way. I charged though it breaking the weak little beams. Humans built weak little buildings to keep other weak little humans out.

The fence held a bull and some cows in a pasture. The bull was not happy about my appearance. It stared at me with its stupid little eyes and began to beat its hooves. I think its horns and thick skull must have crammed its poor little brain to hard if it was planning on attacking me. It was. It did. The bull charged me with all its might, I seized its horns and tossed it aside. I forgot to let go of one horn and it came off the creature's skull.

The bull lay on its side groaning in pain. It thrashed and huffed. I stepped down hard on it, making a most satisfying roar. I would have ended the poor creatures misery, but I was mad and this dumb animal was the perfect target for my rage. I stomped it with my feet and hammered it with my axe handle, the bull roared and tossed as it became a bloody mess. Soon its pathetic struggles ceased, the king of the meadow had been dethroned by invaders. I sneered contemptuously beneath my mask at the once proud bull's now mangled corpse.

"Hey, get away from my animals ya THIEF!" came the cry.

I stepped aside and turned around. A plainly dressed farmer with a pitchfork stared back at me, its stupid eyes flicked to the bull and back to me. The farmers eyes went from an enraged look to terror as he realized a few things: I was a lot bigger than he had guessed, I had a very large axe, I had spikes coming out of my back, and I had singlehandedly killed his bull.

"Y-y-y-you're a-a-a m-m-m-mm-monster!" he shouted

I bellowed a laugh as he charged for his house, jumping the fence and darting in to the squat little home. 

I charged, delighted at the chance to smash another human. The fence splintered. I charged again. The door to that ugly little house flew off its hinges.

The farmer stared up from kneeling position, prayers interrupted. He was with a full grown woman, his wife I guess, and a little girl, their daughter.

"P-p-p-p-please, in God's name leave us alone!" the farmer wailed.

"S-s-s-s-stay away in the name o' all that's holy!" said his wife crossing herself.

I sneered again. I began to kick dust like a bull, and then charged with all my fury.

"AAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGG!!!!" I cried as pain erupted in my side.

I turned around and their he was. The man who had stopped me. Baggy green clothing, metal helmet, a now bloody curved sword, a skull mask, and what looked like a banner on his back.

I charged at him again and barely saw his foot pound into my face.

Then he sat down! He simply sat there cross-legged and pounded his sword handle on the ground!

I was only beginning to notice this as I was still struggling to stand up. And that's when it hit me. He was dressed and equipped like an eastern man, not from this side of the world.

Questions later I decided, death to my enemies now. I charged with all my might, hurtling forward with all my unholy strength. My attacker simply spun round, still cross-legged, and there was a flash of light. He wasn't there anymore!! 

Suddenly I was going up, spiraling round. My attacker was behind me, he was lifting me! 

Then we flipped upside-down and my head hit the floor.

I knew how the bull had felt, to have its most fearsome charge scornfully stopped. Frustration ran through my veins. I noticed that the farmer and his family were no longer present.

"Who, who are you..." I groaned

"I am called Yoshimitsu, I am here to protect the farmer you attacked," the attacker replied in Japanese, odd that he didn't speak the local language.

So this is how it would end for me. No priests begging my mercy. No respect gained. I would simply be slaughtered by a lone warrior who had utterly humiliated me in battle. I was going to die for hating a bull. Worse, I was going to die like the bull, helpless, simply left alive to amuse my killer. Worse yet, I was going to die!!

I wished I had a mother right then. Someone to shelter me from the harsh blows of the world, but no one would shelter Astaroth, he was a plaything and a tool. Meant to be used not wept for.

"May there be mercy for you," Yoshimitsu said solemnly. "May you find peace somewhere."

I almost laughed, my enemy cared more than those I served for my well-being. But none of that mattered anymore, I was going to die...


	2. Enter the Lizard

Enter the Lizard

AN: K, Lizardman is a little hard to follow for awhile, he's not exactly sane.

Lizardman's POV

  
  


_Pain, rage destruction, death._

I followed him here. A pity I my masters didn't send me to kill him. I like to kill things.

_Soft flesh, sweet blood, tasty guts._

Today, though I only got to kill a few birds, a fox and a couple of rabbits. I saw a dead bull, but Astaroth had already killed it. No fair.

_Thirst, a dessert. An act of kindness. A repayment never made._

I didn't even get to see a man to kill. Something always tells me not to kill men. A little voice. I tell it to shut up.

_An oracle. A sacred mission. A god. An evil sword._

Sometimes I even dream that I was a human. Now that's scary. They all hail me as a hero, but then the dream gets good and I kill them all.

_Evil seed. Soul Edge. Madness. Pain._

I catch his sent. He's bleeding. Astaroth had an accident.

_Aeon. Me. Hephaestus._ _Master._

They could've sent one of my underlings. Saved me the trouble of finding his ugly face pasted to a wall. 

_Madness, blood, kill, death._

Well, at least I'm thinking normally again. Sometimes I feel like I'm remembering a past life. It's scary and it's happening more commonly now.

_Kill, kill them all. Men, women and children. Burn them. Burn the world to ashes. Hear their screams, pretty screams. Musical screams._ _End your pain. Endless pain. Share it with the world. Spread Soul Edge's bite!_

At last I find where he is. A small house that had a gaping hole in the wall. A bellow of pain and then simple breathing.

I was sent to bring him back alive. I must go now to save him. I run across the field to the house to save my incompetent comrade.

I burst in. Astaroth was clearly on his last leg. Bloody and bruised he lay on the floor gazing dimwittedly at his attacker.

This was the high point of my day. His attacker was human.

_Now! Make him scream! Scream!_ _Scream! Scream! Scream! Scream! Scream! Scream! Scream!_

The voices were now a raging torrent in my mind. I felt the bloodlust come upon me like an animal.

_ Scream! Scream! Scream! Scream! Scream! Scream! Make him scream!_

The attacker had a mask on that made him look like a long dead corpse, yet the rest of him was colorfully dressed. Odd.

_Spread the poison of Soul Edge! Spread that which make the gods flee in terror!_

The voices where a chorus singing now. Singing of blood and death and pain all in one rising refrain.

I like this feeling.

I charge.

My opponent is quick, a katana slashes in front of me.

But I am quicker. My buckler blocks the slash and my sword speeds forward.

He steps right, barely missing his grave.

So it continues. Slash, stab, parry, charge. Slash, stab, parry, charge. Slash, stab, parry, charge. Slash, stab, parry, charge.

I dance with my blade to the music Soul Edge put inside my head, the glorious anthem of blood and death. My opponent struggled against me, he was a strong human but not as strong as me.

Then he did the smart thing, he fled. I didn't see it coming, we spun as though on a ballroom floor to the powerful hymn of Soul Edge. And the he jumped back from me out the door.

For one frozen second I to surprised to respond, my lunge had overextended me.

_He can't escape. Purge him. Kill him, mash his bones into dust!_

I snapped out of my surprise. He was good, and he was already gone.

The voices got mad and made agitated mumbling sounds in my head.

_Failure, why? Are you to weak for Soul Edge's tasks?! You _are _weak! Weakling! Weakling! Weakling! Weakling!_

I growled and made an agitated gesture for Astaroth to follow me.

The giant slowly rose.

AN: A new part arrives! Next chapter Maxi, Xiangha and Kilik (will check spelling later) show up and go to an isle in the Mediterranean off Italy. Guess who's waiting for them...


	3. To the Isle of Death

AN: K, I'm working on increasing my output. Still disclaimed. Found out I don't like to write as a girl. Bon Appetite.

To the Isle of Death

Xianghua's POV

I watched the figure cross the deck. This late most of the pirate captain's, what was his name? So Western it was hard to tell. Ah yes, Maxi. Most of Maxi's sailors were asleep, leaving the night crew to keep the ship floating.

I shifted my legs in my formal dress; it was uncomfortable but if I went around in what I thought was comfortable Maxi's men would think me a whore.

The only man on deck who was not occupied was a fellow easterner named Kilik. A young man of few words who spent most of his time vomiting or meditating. If the monasteries made people that dull I was glad I was taken out of the ceremonial life by the Emperor so young. All he spoke of was his master and his practices. One would think he could at least divulge the name of his master but all he ever says is "Edge Master says this and that and other pointless things". No fun at all.

Not that anyone up this late was any fun except for the captain, who was busy. The sailors would pretend to be polite to me, thinking me refined, and then comment on my body when they thought I wasn't looking. I didn't have a problem with lewdness (I'd made my fare amount of comments in my life), but the insult to my intelligence hurt. Not that my own group was much better. Bo was stiff as log, Fei to drunk to do anything more intelligent than burp, and Ping to excited about being hand picked by the Emperor that he usually wound up screwing something up.

Oh well, time for bed.

Kilik's POV

She had left deck, that was a relief. Her gaze was always an annoying stalker when I practiced late to gain some focus. I needed the focus to overcome my annoying lack of sea legs that had given these pirates amusement to no end. No need to dwell on it thoughts of no importance, though. I had found a means of overcoming my weak stomach and now could hold my lunch better than Maxi's own men.

I couldn't say that I liked being on a ship that marauded and plundered other vessels, but Soul Edge was clearly somewhere in Europe. Rumors had spread of a "black knight" who burned and plundered with an army called the "Black Wind". Fortunately I knew enough Western languages to survive over there. I spoke English, Spanish, a little German and decent French; Edge Master had always believed in keeping a sharp mind.

The fact that it was a pirate ship wasn't the only thing that bothered me about this vessel. It was the crew/captain interaction. It was like everyone was still getting to know each other, of course I had never traveled on a ship before so maybe this was a normal thing. But maybe not.

The other bit of suspicious activity was the "entertainers". Simple entertainers do not go from India to Europe, especially with an act as bad as their's. Even stranger had been the girl from their group watching me. It wasn't so strange that she was watching me, I count myself among the handsome, but I get this feeling from her.

I looked at the moon. It was late and tomorrow Maxi was going to go-ashore somewhere, and maybe I would need my strength.

Maxi's POV

All my passengers had retired at last. That was good, now I could talk with the one member of this new crew I trusted.

"So what do you think Mitsy?"

"No call me that. What about?" was the mercenary's reply.

"We may be a hair's breadth away from Soul Edge, remember?"

The mercenary frowned, obviously constructing a response very carefully. "Do not be so sure, the Merchant of Death never gained it, so perhaps he was no closer than we are. And the island is said to be a very dangerous point."

"Scared are we?"

Another pause for construction.

"No, but always remember obstacles and you will live much longer." Miturugi, of course, was not afraid; he never was. Of course he wasn't cautious either as he showed when he charged a line of musketeers with loaded weapons; however he would hate to die before he could prove himself to the Emperor.

Maxi looked across the sea. 

"We have a long day ahead of us Mitsy, lets get some sleep."

The mercenary shot Maxi a warning glance for the name but departed for his quarters.

Voldo's POV

I cannot say how long I have dwelled here: a decade? A century? An aeon?

I don't know for how long the darkness and the rats has been my only companions in this pit, this piece of hell on earth. I remember a place with sunshine and wine, money and even girls. It seemed like heaven to a wretch such as myself doomed to forever drink the dregs of sorrow on this cursed isle.

I could leave if I ever truly wanted to, but my master told me to stay, so I wait like his hound for the day he bids me to leave; so I wait, age after age, aeon after aeon, epoch after epoch and lifetime after lifetime.

I lay here and wait.

Wait.

Wait for someone to disturb this crypt for Vercci's wealth.

It never happens.

Until today a door was forced open and light entered the pit; I knew the hunt had begun.

AN: bit of a cliffhanger. Next chapter hopefully coming soon!


	4. Runaway Hunters

Hwangs POV

I entered the admiral's "office". It was relatively small given the man's critical role in defending Korea, but as this wasn't the admiral's main estate that was understandable.

The Admiral himself was busy reading a book upon my entry and was oblivious to me for several seconds. After this rather uncomfortable period he looked up and addressed me.

"Ah, pardon me. I wanted to finish the segment I was on. Most interesting."

The admiral was obviously trying to make sure I knew my place was beneath him despite the fact that I had never doubted my rank. I wasn't particularly politically ambitious and probably wouldn't enjoy the pitfalls and traps of the upper-class, but the admiral was obviously not convinced by my attempts to prove my loyalty to him. You know you are in dark times when the navy was at each others throats.

Still, the meeting was informal and the admiral was treating me as a friend, a good sign.

No, it wasn't fair to say he was suspicious of me; he was just forestalling any thoughts I had of usurping him. You can never be too safe.

Of course, that wasn't to say the times weren't troubled; Japan was as always putting pressure on the kingdom and China was clearly eying Korea; Political strains continued their constant looming over the peace and pirates prowled the seas making the Navy spread out her forces to combat the problem.

"Hwang, it is very rarely that you fail in a task; however there is one task of critical importance that you have not completed."

I shuddered. I knew the task he meant quite well: the quest for the Patriot Sword. I had been side tracked by Seung Han Myong's reckless daughter and Soul Edge had slipped away.

"Fortunately, you have been given a chance to redeem yourself: Soul Edge has resurfaced. You are to depart from here and head to Europe as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir," I replied, too shocked for anything else. A second chance? From the Admiral?

"Oh, and by the way," the Admiral began giving me a look which told volumes, "Seung's daughter has run off again, presumably after Soul Edge.

"Hoon will fill you in on all the facts and accompany you. Dismissed."

***

Normally it wouldn't be proper to refer to a fellow officer by his first name; but Hoon, was, well, Hoon. He had a type of endearing yet annoying manner which put you immediately on a first name basis. Of course Hoon was also one of the most knowledgeable people in all of Korea, especially about other countries. He spoke far more languages fluently than I had heard of, which was probably why the admiral had chosen Hoon to go with me to Europe.

Ah, Europe. A place I had known next to nothing about until my last attempt to obtain Soul Edge. A land of relatively small countries compared to the empires of colonies they reigned over. I wondered how Mina was handling herself there being as I don't think she spoke any of the local dialects of any of those countries. Of course, I spoke no language save Korean and had survived. It's amazing how much you can communicate without words.

There was no doubt in my mind that the admiral's real goal is sending me after Soul Edge was to retrieve Mina. Han Myong was an influential man with strong ties to the navy and I was well acquainted with Mina; besides, that look from the Admiral had said it all.

Mina had a rebellious attitude which annoyed her father to no end and yet Han Myong seemed _proud_ of the fact that she was a well trained fighter. Hell, he's the one that trained her. The loss of her mother had left her without any example of the way a woman ought to behave herself and yet Han Myong still wanted her to act as both a daughter to wed off and a son to inherit his place.

Her attitude made her a constant annoyance to everyone around her, but I did fin it somewhat refreshing. She's not so stupid once you get to know her. Actually she's quite intelligent, just immature. Very immature.

Just then Hoon arrived. It was time to start this "adventure."

AN: wonder if there is going to be some romance? *wink wink* *nudge nudge*

Next chapter: Lizardman faces a crisis of confidence and Astaroth meets his maker (literally).


	5. A coming battle

Lizardman's POV

  
  


A divine quest against the darkness.

You must succeed.

All life depends on you!

The voices had changed. I was glad they were not mocking my failure, but now they were scaring me! Why would you help life when you could kill it?

Don't you see, you have been seduced by the Unholy Sword?

Seduced by the "Unholy Sword"? The bosses told me to look for an unholy sword, but that is not exactly seduced.

Listen Aeon, there is another. You must repent and help her!

Repent? Repent from what?

Bah, the voices are crazy. I need to kill something. That always shuts the stupid voice up. Then the good voices would talk of blood and pain. I like those voices.

A desert. An act of kindness. A repayment never made.

I am Aeon Cuccos! A knight and a hero! Not this monster! This is all a bad dream, I need to find a way to wake from this! Hephaestus, help your servant! I need to wash the blood that this monstrous dream has put on my hands off, but how?

Think no more! There is only death and blood and pain! Feel the joy of Soul Reaver! The love of Chaos!

There. I am normal again. Whole, except for I have not killed since I saved Astaroth two days ago. I almost killed him. But then the bosses would have been mad and killed me. It is good to kill, not be killed. What to kill today?

Many men. Mountains of men. Heap their corpses to the sky!

A good answer. Now to find enough men.

Astaroth's POV

Another day. I had not thought I would see it.

I had healed with the unholy speed that my master granted me and easily kept pace with Lizardman. He truly is the dog the priests imagine him to be. He frightens even me, though I know I could beat him in a confrontation. I hate what I kill, that is why I kill it. It is all so stupid! If the world truly were made by some great God as these Christians say, then he was a moron. Lizardman, though, loves what he kills. He kills not for release but for the pure joy of killing. Even some of the priests stand back from their child.

Today though, he is strange. Early he was in the sulky mood he always is in after he misses a chance to cause pain. Then he broke down shrieking and screaming in a stupid way. I almost killed him to shut him up, but the boss would not like that. Then he returned to his giddy natural sate.

Someday I would solve the mystery of Lizardman, assuming I did not kill him first.

A bird's tweeting entered my head. Chirping happily away. All it knew how to do. Stupid little bird. I looked and found her. She was feeding her young some even stupider worm that had been dumb. It never ceased to amaze me how low the food chain ran.

I picked up a rock and hurtled it at the nest. A direct hit! The wounded birds fell to the ground. Lizardman looked up and emitted a sound that could most accurately be described as a bestial giggle and began to butcher the small creatures, stomping them and throwing them at trees. One dumb animal killing others.

Pain! Agony!

Suddenly I beheld Him. My one and true master, who chained me to him through pain and torment.

ASTAROTH

The voice was inside my mind, driving me insane. I fell to my knees and wept in my torment! Why did he come for me again!

THERE ARE TWO WOMEN, TRAVELING TOGETHER. HUNTING FOR THE BLADE THAT IS MINE BY ALL RIGHT! TAKE THAT BEAST, HE WILL GO GLADLY. CRUSH THEM. YOU SHALL KNOW THE WAY

And indeed I now knew to head north. I motioned to Lizardman to come. He paused as if listening to unheard voices, crushed the last bird beneath his foot (he had lovingly killed each one then savored each death, so it had taken a while).

I saw the women. Both were beautiful by human standards. Both reveled a great deal of their beauty without shame. Humans truly are little more than beasts, they eat, excrete and hump. All the rest of their lives are just charades to convince them that they are somehow superior to the rest of their beastly brethren.

One was of eastern descent and wore tight clothes that hugged her body so as not to obstruct her movement. She wielded two knives and I knew her to be fast somehow. Speed could be quite deadly

The other was from these parts with golden hair and blue eyes. The classic western beauty. She wore a short skirt that showed humans never took their ideas of "modesty" seriously. She fought in the style of Lizardman. Curious, to say the least.

But questions later. My master had a quest for me now.

Lizardman's POV

Go with Astaroth. He will show you humans. Kill them! Spill their blood in praise of the Evil Sword!

Humans to kill? Of course I would go! I would taste the sweet salty blood of men, not just these winged beasts!

They are young. And they are pure of heart!

This was too good to be true! Soon! So soon, these young, innocent, pretty little girls would be screaming! Beautiful, musical screams!

Share the joy of Soul Edge's pain with them! Make them sing their screams for us!

AN: Taki and Sophitia are in trouble. If anyone is still reading this after my extended absence please review. Next chapter (coming soon hopefully) Sophitia and Taki meet our two villains.


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